What Could Have Been
by xerin
Summary: What would have happened if Jacob was too hurt by Bella's indecision? What if he chose another option, an option Bella didn't even know he had until it slapped her in the face? Worst of all, what if Edward had unexplained history with the mysterious girl that he wouldn't explain, even to her?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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"-Ms. Fay?"

I snapped my head up, surprised the teacher was calling me at all. Wasn't this Calculus class?

Shrugging internally to myself, I gritted out the correct answer before returning my attention to my doodles.

Not paying attention in class was nothing new for me – in fact, I did it all the time. The teachers gave me hell for it the first semester I transferred to Forks High School, but when they realized that I was maintaining a range of low A's in all my classes – which is a lot better than some of the kids who pay attention and **still** get worse grades than I did – they decided to let me be.

"Art freak genius" is what the other kids called me. 'Genius, right,' I snorted. Mr. Varner pointedly ignored the extra noise I made and continued to give his lecture while the other students sighed in unison at the obvious favoritism.

My hand retracing a doodle of an apple I didn't particularly like, I stared at the two students in front of me.

Edward Cullen was well, gorgeous (I really couldn't think of another adjective for him) while Bella Swan was… plain. Sure, she was pretty, I'll give her that, but her face lacked any expression most of the time. I liked to think of her as the Blushing Zombie.

The couple was writing on a piece of binder paper, and I glared at the brunette unconsciously.

'What a slut,' I thought venomously. 'Couldn't she have been satisfied with just Edward? She just _had_ to hurt Jake in the process, didn't she?'

I was surprised to hear a low hiss and my eyes roamed to find the source of the noise. Ah, Edward didn't seem to be very happy with me glaring at his precious girlfriend.

I met my hazel eyes to his topaz, grinning cockily, just daring him to do something about my dislike for Bella.

He slowly turned to the front, just as Mr. Varner was turning around to face the class; his eyes told me this wasn't over.

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Author's Note: So, this is a fanfic that I had hidden away in my notebook from a few years ago and I thought it was time for it to see the light of day! I'm still not sure if I'll be continuing this, but if you have any feedback or really anything you want to say to me at all, feel free to send me a pm. :) Comments = love, btw


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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I wasn't surprised to find him hunched over me after the bell rang. Ignoring him, I searched the room until I found Bella waiting by the door, fidgeting nervously as she probably wondered what Edward had to say to me. As if it wasn't obvious.

"What's up, Ed?" My voice was very civilized as I started to gather up my stuff.

"If you wouldn't mind, would you please not think badly of her? Jacob's pain wasn't intentional."

Even though his words sounded sincere enough, I could tell his jaw was locked.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking. Although you probably already picked that out from my head, right? If you don't like how I think about her, then maybe you shouldn't listen," I hinted coldly.

He sighed quietly and tapped his fingers on my desk, sharp and quiet staccatos until I looked up to meet his eyes.

"You know I can't help it. Your mind is so much more familiar than the others'."

Yes, I knew that because of our past, he would be so much more in tune with mine than the other students'.

"Does **she** know that?"

Reading his expression, I nodded solemnly, not expecting anything else.

"That's what I thought. Well, until you tell her, since we're supposed to be classmates who only met two years ago, you better go before she suspects anything. Bye, Eddie," I said softly, my tough mask slipping just barely.

It was a minute change, but he knew me well enough to catch the difference.

"I'll see you later, Kristie," he murmured in a low voice and ruffled my hair so quickly Bella didn't have a chance of seeing.

Watching his retreating back with sad eyes, I finished organizing my binders and stuffed them into my backpack.

What did he see in her? He deserved so much better.

It wasn't like I was jealous or anything – nothing like that.

It was just that I was afraid that… that _girl_ would hurt my childhood angel like she had my Jake.

I smiled, wondering how Edward would take my effort to see her in a kinder light.

Glancing at the big clock on the wall, I swore.

"Crap! Jake's gonna be pissed!"

I ran out the door, not caring that my shoelaces were untied.

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Author's Note: So I know my chapters are short, but don't worry because I have a few chapters worth of the story written out beforehand. Leave me reviews? 3


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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Usually, I would drive down to La Push, but as of last week, my car was out of order. Luckily, it had broken down in front of Jacob's house and now was parked in his garage, with him working on it whenever he could.

Even with him making it his first priority to fix my car, we both knew it would take at least two weeks, what with his running patrol and lacking sleep.

We had had a tense moment, trying to imagine living through two weeks without the other.

We both needed each other, him more than me.

Me because I've never been loved after I turned 7, and him because of that **stupid brunette**. He was more broken than she knew and I was trying my hardest to fix him up.

Reaching the parking lot and out of breath, I scanned the crowd for Jacob's tall figure. Finding it easily within a few seconds, I ran in his direction, a huge smile on my face, eager to see him.

A smile which quickly fell when I saw that he wasn't alone.

"Ugh, can't she freakin' leave him alone?" I muttered darkly under my breath, ignoring the disapproving stare Edward gave me. Jacob heard my words, too, and laughed at them and my expression.

In four long strides, he reached me in what would have taken me at least ten. He took my hand and walked slowly with me back to where his bike waited, where Edward and Bella stood, him with a neutral expression and her with a disbelieving one.

I snickered, and felt Jacob squeeze my hand softly, telling me to control the urge to burst out in laughter. He was right; there was no need to show her how much I disliked her to her face.

"Hey Bella, what's up?" I asked in a sugar-coated voice, flashing Jacob a grateful smile as he took my heavy bag from my shoulders. He shrugged like it was nothing, and even though the weight probably did feel like nothing to him, I was still thankful.

I noticed the silence and turned my attention back to Bella, wondering why she hadn't replied yet.

Her mouth was slightly ajar and her face paler than usual. Judging from Edward's worried expression, I could tell her reaction wasn't normal.

I could guess what it was that shook her so much, and if it were anyone else, I would've felt a bit sorry, but as it was, it was her and I couldn't be happier to see her hurt even just a little bit. Edward bared his teeth at me, just as Jacob stepped in front of me, crouching forward in a defensive position.

Pulling his hand back until he was by my side again, I smiled unapologetic at Edward, once again daring him to do something about it. I knew he was going to give me hell for it later, but it was so worth it.

Sometime I didn't notice, Bella had gotten her bearings back and now was watching the exchange quietly.

"Are… Are you and Kristine together, Jake?" She whispered, her voice quivering as if she didn't want to ask the question.

I glanced out of the corner of my eyes to see Jacob give a curt nod, and I thanked my lucky stars that I knew how to control my expression. Unfortunately for her, Bella didn't, and her hurt and sense of betrayal at his answer was obvious.

"But you barely know her, Jake! How'd you guys meet, anyways!? I don't get it… Does Billy even know?" I rolled my eyes at how she acted as if I wasn't there, but as tough as I tried to act, it hurt how against the idea of us she seemed.

We weren't together, but would it be that weird if we were? A small whimper escaped my lips and I quickly bit down on my bottom lip so as to not allow any other sounds from coming out.

As he started to explain how I was penpals with Rachel, Jacob squeezed my hand in his tightly and caressed the back of my hand with his calloused thumb, trying to comfort me. I could see how Edward hovered behind Bella, not sure how to do what he could to comfort me with her there without giving our past away. I shook my head infinitesimally, telling him it wasn't worth it.

"Does she know… _everything_ about you, Jake?"

I could hear the double meaning in her voice and I couldn't hold my anger in anymore.

"Oh, give it a rest, Bella, I knew before you did! I was there when it first happened, sheesh." I huffed, pulling my hand out of Jacob's to cross my arms across my chest.

Bella's eyes watered as she looked to Jacob for a further explanation.

He replied without looking at her, instead trying to coax my arms to unravel so that he could hold my hand again. I relented under his gentle tugs and my hand was enveloped in warmth again.

"Rachel was down for the weekend and had invited Kris – er, Kristine – for a sleepover or whatever. About an hour before I came back home, though, Rachel got an urgent call and had to leave for school again. It was pretty late, and Billy didn't want to send Kris up by herself, so he told her to stay over as planned. She was in the room when I… exploded. That's really it."

I nodded, backing up his story, even though he had left out a few things. Not that I minded – I didn't want Bella to know more than she had to.

Seeing Bella pretty speechless, Edward tugged on her arm.

"Bella, love, we should get going. Alice will be waiting." She nodded numbly, but did nothing to move.

"We should go, too, Jake. Quil and Embry are probably in your garage, wreaking havoc as we speak."

Giving a throaty laugh, he turned towards his bike.

"See you, Bells," he said as he handed me a helmet.

"Or not," I sang under my breath, hugging Jacob's waist as the bike purred beneath me.

'Ten,' I mouthed to Edward before I heard a deafening sound as Jacob revved the engine and everything around me became a blur.

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Author's Note: So this chapter was about twice as long as the other ones - I'm trying to make up for the first two short chapters Aren't you guys all curious about what the true story of how Kristine got to know about Jacob's secret is? Or what Edward and Kristine could possibly share in common that they can't tell Bella about? Stay tuned to find out!


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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Just as I had thought, Quil and Embry were in the garage, obviously bored out of their minds. Guessing by the several tools and screws littered on the floor, they had tried their absolute best to keep themselves occupied with what was available to them. An odd looking figure that reminded me of a wolf made from crumpled cans held together with nails and screws was on its side in the corner, the fruit of Quil and Embry's labor – or rather, boredom. At least they knew better than to play around with my car.

"Oh wow, guys, you're still alive!" I exclaimed as I entered the garage, Jacob right behind me. I tried to sound as surprised as I possibly could – although it didn't require much acting since it _was _quite a feat for the two to survive in Jacob's small garage by themselves.

Quil, who had been lying on his side with an arm supporting his face, quickly sat up and turned around to see us.

"Took you two long enough." Ignoring my patronizing smile, he threw a spare crumbled can at me playfully. It would have hit my face right in between my eyes if Jacob's hand hadn't shot out in front of my face and caught it with ease.

"Cut it out, Quil, you almost hit her face," Jacob growled in annoyance, throwing the tin can back at his friend with more force than necessary. Of course, Quil simply dodged to the right, an impish smile on his face. Stupid wolf reflexes.

"Grow up some, will ya, Quil?" Embry stood up and made his way towards us, nudging Quil hard on the back with his knee in the process.

After bumping fists (why did boys do that?) Embry pointed to a black bag that was protruding at odd angles sitting atop the hood of my car, an expectant smile on his face. Jacob was simply ecstatic at the sight of it and patted Embry on the shoulder before jogging over to dig through the bag.

Did I even want to know?

A voice in my head told me not to fool myself, that of course I was curious as to what was making Jacob so happy. My curiosity must have shown on my face because Embry, being the kinder and more attentive of the two, answered my silent question.

"They're parts for your car. Jake asked me to get them since I run less shifts than him. Took me all day, too."

Oh. Well I guess Jacob's love for all things mechanic explained why he looked like a kid on Christmas Day.

"Embry, I owe you, man. With these, I think I can get Kris' car fixed by this week. Isn't that great, Kris?" Lifting his head for just a second to see my reaction, I nodded and smiled, saying my thanks to Embry as well. It was the reaction he wanted to see, after all.

One of the downsides of hanging out with werewolves that were extremely sharp was that they could recognize even the smallest change in someone's expression. Before anyone could see my smile fade, I walked as naturally as I could to the corner where the tin wolf was and squatted down to see it more carefully.

Thankfully, Embry and Quil had moved to Jacob's side and were discussing with Jacob in detail what tools would be best for the job, of course Embry being more talkative than Quil in this subject.

It was quite a few minutes before their discussion stopped and they realized I was completely silent, still squatting in the corner as I forced the wolf's paws to move over and over again.

"Kristine."

I jumped up at Embry's voice suddenly breaking the silence.

"Y-yeah?" My voice wavered from the surprise. I hoped I sounded natural enough. 'Oh please, let them just let it pass.'

"I brought some iced peach tea from Emily's that you like so much. You know, the ones that are canned. It's in the fridge inside if you want it."

Had he noticed my façade after all? Or was he simply being the caring and attentive person he was?

Either way, I wasn't about to look my favorite tea in the mouth.

Jumping up, I ran to where the trio stood and threw my arms around Embry's lanky form, Jacob's scowl of disapproval escaping my eyes.

"Eek, thanks, Embry!"

There was a skip in my step as I walked down the path that lead to the house, my mood temporarily better. I could hear the sounds of two of the guys talking quickly in low voices in Quileute behind me, but I couldn't care less what they were saying. I had some iced peach tea waiting for me, after all.

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Author's Note: Whoops, this chapter turned out rather short as well. It's been a while since I stepped foot into the Twilight universe so I've begun to reread Twilight this morning. Hopefully I can find my copy of New Moon by the time I finish because I only see Eclipse and Breaking Dawn on my shelves.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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I could never really make up my mind whether to knock on the Black's door or not. It seemed too formal at this stage to knock, but on the other hand, it seemed plain out rude to just walk in.

It was in front of the front door that Jacob found me.

He didn't see me at first. His eyes were focused on his feet as he came out into view, mumbling angrily under his breath. Did he fight with Quil, or Embry? It seemed unlikely, but it was the only plausible reason I could think of as to why he seemed so irritated.

At last noticing my gaze, Jacob looked up, the storm in his dark eyes clearing out quickly as he saw me, still standing outside, a fist held up near the door hesitantly.

Confusion. Understanding. Then finally, amusement.

I could almost hear it in my head: 'three, two, one…'

Just as I guessed, Jacob broke out into hearty laughter, no doubt finding my indecision and situation funny. It was _not_ funny, at all.

"Don't laugh," I said indignantly, my face flushing from the embarrassment.

"Sure, sure," he replied half-heartedly, laughter breaking through every other syllable.

His laughter dying away, he opened the door and led me in by the hand. The empty couch and black television screen seemed foreign to me; I was so used to seeing Billy there.

"Where's Billy?" I asked as we stepped into the small kitchen. Maybe he was at another tribe meeting?

"The old man's asleep. He's been trying to stay up until I come back home lately and it's exhausted him." Easily reaching the top shelves with his long arm, Jacob gracefully snatched a large bag of chips and leaned against the counter, looking at me expectantly.

"Didn't you come here to get the iced tea?"

His words brought me out of the trance I was in. It truly was amazing how much Jacob had changed pre-phasing and post-phasing. Pre-phasing Jacob would never have been half as graceful as he was just now.

'Well, it' no use thinking about how he used to be. He's changed now, whether I like it or not.'

Opening the refrigerator door, I was shocked by the amount of groceries inside. It was only ever this full when—

"Yeah, there's a gathering at our place again tonight. Dad's probably going to make his famous spaghetti and try to pass off the recipe as a family heirloom," Jacob snorted at Billy's ridiculous ruses. "You should stay for it."

I could only nod, trying desperately to find the familiar orange can I came to look for. And as if I had any choice. Sue would no doubt not let me go until I had at least two servings.

No matter how hard I looked, I couldn't see it, and I was too scared to touch anything in case it all came spilling at my feet. 'I'll just drink it tomorrow or something,' I told myself, somewhat disappointed.

I was reaching for the fridge door when I suddenly heard Jacob's voice right by my left ear. When had he moved!?

"It's right here," he said as he pulled out a can from behind a stack of plastic storage containers and held it in front of me.

Still surprised from the sudden proximity, I squeaked out thanks as I held onto the cold can with both hands. I could hear my heart pounding loudly in my ears and I was afraid he could, too. If he couldn't, my now red face would no doubt give it away.

Rolling his eyes at my reaction, he shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. His warm arm wrapped around my waist, in complete contrast to the cold can in my hands, and I felt myself being pulled backwards against him.

"What—?"

The sound of a few bottles clanging softly could be heard as he closed the refrigerator, and I realized a few seconds too late that he was only trying to close the fridge.

Embarrassed, I tried to spin out of his grasp but it held fast.

What was he doing?

"Jake…?"

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Author's Note: I have to admit, this chapter played on my fangirl feelings quite a bit. Is it too obvious that I'm Team Jacob? Whoops.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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Just what **was **he doing?

Sure, we both weren't the type to really give much thought to physical contact, but wasn't this too much?

"Jake, what are you doing?" I tried to laugh it off, as if it was one big joke.

It made no sense for him to act like this, after all.

"C'mon, it's not funny anymore. Embry and Quil are waiting, let's go." Somewhere in the back of mind, I noticed my voice sounded differently than it did normally.

I don't know what it was – perhaps the mention of the world beyond this moment the two of us were in? – but it seemed to aggravate Jacob, his arm tightening its hold on my waist until it started to hurt.

"Ow, ow, Jake!" I resisted against his arm with both of my arms, trying to get him to ease his hold.

I could breathe again as the muscles in his arm lost tension, but even then, he refused to let go of me.

"Kris, I-"

It sounded like he was conflicted, but I didn't know why. He didn't feel anything more than a friend towards me. I knew so very well that he was still head over heels in love with that ridiculous Bella. I knew that _she _was the one who appeared in his dreams, no matter how little he slept. I knew that_ she_ was the one he wanted to call every night, just to check up on her, to see if she was alright. I knew that _she _was the one he wanted to protect with every fiber of his being. I knew. So very well.

I knew these things because Jacob told me himself.

It _hurt_ to hear these things, to have him confirm my fears with his own mouth. But I had to act strong, for him, because his well being came first, not my personal agenda. Or so I told myself, but…

Sometimes it was hard to deny my feelings when he left open chances like this.

Before I could say anything, Jacob released his hold on me and walked stiffly back to the counter, his back to me. He must have heard some sound that I couldn't because in the next few seconds, Billy rolled out, tired but a soft smile on his face.

"Kris, welcome." Billy's voice carried through the hall although he spoke softly. I was surprised to even hear him over the thudding of the blood in my ears.

I must look like a flustered mess.

"I'm sorry to have woken you Billy, I heard how tired you are these days." I truly was sorry. Sorry that I had woken him up for absolutely nothing.

He waved his hand, as if he was clearing the air of nonsense.

"Don't be silly. Now, I'm sure you'll be staying for the gathering?" He rolled his wheelchair over to the fridge and opening the door, took out a bottle of root beer.

I nodded, my voice lost somewhere in my throat. I wanted to tell Billy that Jacob had already invited me but for some reason, I couldn't say his name out loud.

" 'Course I will! Now if you'll excuse me, there's a very hungry and bored Embry and Quil waiting in the garage." With that, I made my way out of the kitchen and escaped from the house, the cold can of iced tea clenched tightly in both hands.

'I hope I didn't seem rude.'

I didn't look back to see if Jacob was close behind. In fact, I preferred that he wasn't.

I just needed some time on my own to calm myself.

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Author's Note: I'm afraid I made Kris sound really melodramatic, but in reality, she's just a girl who's trying her best to understand what's going on around her. I would love to receive some reviews with feedback so that I can know what you guys want in the upcoming chapters. :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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I obviously hadn't thought my exit plan completely through.

I couldn't go back to the Black's house – not that I wanted to even show my face back there after what just happened – but I didn't want to go to the garage and act as if nothing happened in front of the Embry and Quil's observant eyes.

"What the hell just happened," I mumbled to myself, kicking up small clots of dirt with my feet as I walked to the edge of the sidewalk where I sat down. The hiss of the can being opened was drowned out by the sound of pounding blood still in my ears, and even the coldness of the metal didn't seem to seep in as deeply as it did before.

What was that? My brain sluggishly started to think of possible answers, each one getting more implausible than the next. Was it a cry of desperation? Did Jacob need more help than he was letting on? Or, could it possibly be him returning my feelings – or at least trying to?

I snorted at the thought as I chugged down a long sip of iced tea. As if that would every happen. Even amidst my confusion, it tasted good. My mind, eager to think of anything but what just took place within the house, took the bait the iced drink provided. Why didn't they sell these in Forks? Why only here on the reservation? What did they put in here that made it so good? Would this company show up if I Googled them?

Cautious and soft footsteps brought me out of my thoughts, and my body automatically stiffened, fearing it was Jacob. Whoever it was, they were being careful to make sure that I knew they were coming so that I wouldn't be too surprised by them.

Well, that was considerate of them.

Knowing myself much too well, I closed my eyes as soon as the sound of their footsteps disappeared, silent on the concrete. I was too much of a coward to face them head on. 'Please don't let it be Jacob,' I plead silently, although to be truthful, a part of me wished it was him coming to explain himself. Of course, things never happen the way I wish they would.

A familiar voice cleared their throat before sitting down next to me, their legs stretching out in front of them much more than mine. Much, much more than mine, I noticed with a hint of annoyance.

"How's the tea?"

Thankfully, it was Embry, which meant I could have a somewhat normal conversation. Unthankfully, it was Embry, which meant I had to smile and pretend to be fine. I didn't know if fate was throwing me a bone or mocking me.

"It's really good. Thanks again for bringing it for me." I held the can in his direction, silently asking if he wanted some. It was a polite gesture more than anything, and I was surprised when he took it and drank from the can directly.

"No problem. I'll bring more over whenever I get the chance."

I wanted to say no, that it wasn't necessary, but I had the feeling Embry wouldn't listen to me. The smile he was flashing me only seemed to back up my suspicion.

"Is Quil alright being in there by himself?" I was more worried about what the garage would look like when we went back in there than Quil, but I didn't want to offend him, just in case he heard, so I asked in a roundabout way. Quil could hold quite the grudge, or so I've heard.

"Afraid Quil will be lying on a bed of metal scraps and parts from your car?" I knew Embry was kidding, but even the thought gave me shivers.

Careful not to leave any evidence, I whispered in the smallest voice I could manage.

"Terrified."

My fear must have showed clearly on my face because Embry's wide smile melted away into a worried frown, and in an attempt to no doubt comfort me, he drew his long arm around my shoulders, giving them a small squeeze.

"Don't worry. The big bad wolf got called by Sam while you were in the house and is probably fifty miles away from here running patrol by now."

Leave it to Embry's soft voice to calm you down.

"Thanks, Embry," I said in a small voice as I turned my head to give him a grateful smile, finding the distance between us much closer than I had thought. Embry's usual serene expression was gone and in its place was a more serious one.

I tried to lean away from him, confusion swirling in my mind again. Maybe Jacob and Embry had both caught a disease, like mad cow disease, only for werewolves? As hard as I tried to distance myself without hurting Embry's feelings, his arm around my shoulders kept me in place.

Thanks to my previous experience with Jacob in the Black's house, I knew by now that werewolves abusing their strength to keep you in one place meant something very confusing was about to happen.

Before my brain could register what was happening, Embry was leaning in closer, his lips parted as he tried to come up with something to say. Closer and closer, until almost—

Out of nowhere, I heard Jacob speak in a much lower voice than he normally spoke in, his words seething with anger.

"Don't._** Touch**_. Her."

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**Author's Note: Sorry for the late update! Everything was pretty hectic with Korean holidays &amp; the new semester, but I'm pretty much all settled in now so I'll try to update regularly!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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A dull clang was the only sound I could hear in the aftermath dead silence. I had dropped my can of iced tea in surprise, and in a less preoccupied part of my mind, I mourned its loss. What a waste.

The tin can rolled further and further away from me, spilling its contents everywhere in the process as the silence only deepened.

The atmosphere was suffocating and I wanted more than anything to escape from this place, but I couldn't see an easy way out. I did, however, notice that Embry's arm had dropped from my shoulders after Jacob's appearance, and I let out a sigh of relief. At least I was free from that awkward situation.

"I told you before, Embry, don't touch her. Don't you **_dare_** touch her."

Jacob was clearly still angry, his teeth clenched and body shaking. I knew what that meant. Hurriedly, I got up and held my hands up in front of me as I confronted him.

"Jake, nothing happened, it's okay. Calm down. Nothing happened." Maybe it was my words, or maybe it was my hands that were placed lightly on his chest, or maybe he realized how close I was standing to him, but whatever it was, it stopped his shaking and I could see him closing his eyes and concentrating to ground himself again.

It took a few seconds before he opened his eyes, and when he did, I could see the storm in them again. Was he okay now? I had no doubt that the two werewolves would take it out to the forest later when I was gone, but that didn't matter to me right now. I was more worried about how Jacob was now than how he would be later.

"That was a close call. Kristine almost became our second Emily." I hadn't realized Embry had stood up as well. Looking behind my shoulder, I expected to find him smiling apologetically at Jake, but was surprised to find him instead staring with rather cold eyes. The look Jake returned him was even colder, and I knew the goosebumps I had right now had nothing to do with the weather.

"That's not funny," was all Jacob growled before he started to let out long guttural sounds in what I guessed was Quileute. Embry easily changed languages as well, leaving me standing there dumbfounded, trying to grasp at straws to understand what kind of conversation they were having. It wasn't easy though and I soon found it impossible, especially since their expressions weren't giving anything away either. Jerks.

The two didn't seem to intend on stopping their debate anytime soon, so knowing from experience that I would only be ignored if I tried to pry, I turned my back on them and walked to where the now empty can was, picking it up. I would throw it away as soon as I got the chance.

"Don't let my inability to speak Quileute stop you guys. I'm going home so feel free to do whatever you two want."

That seemed to grab their attention. Jacob, stopping mid-sentence, turned his head towards me, a confused expression on his face. 'Now he decides to use his face?' I thought in annoyance, and it must have shown on my face because he quickly strode over to where I was standing, taking the can from me and holding my now free hand.

"M'sorry," he mumbled, unable to look me in the eyes – whether it was from shame or just an act, I couldn't tell. "Stay for the gathering, Kris. You love them." I did love them, that was true, what with the lively atmosphere and the delicious food, but I didn't feel like staying to watch a drama show that I could just as easily watch on tv, except it would be in a language I could actually understand. Besides, I'd probably choke to death on spaghetti from the stress of sitting in between the two.

"No thanks. Tell Billy I'm sorry, but I'd rather not be here to watch you two tear each other apart." Jacob's expression fell, and along with it so did my heart. Now it was me who couldn't meet his eyes in fear that he would shake my resolve. If it made him happy, I wanted to stay – I really did – but today, more than ever, I needed some time where I could just sit down by myself and think things through.

"Sorry, Jake. Not tonight." Giving his hand a squeeze, I gently pulled mine free of his, instead opting to entwine my two hands in front of me. Before Jacob had a chance to say anything, Embry came shuffling forward, both hands in his pockets. "I'll walk you home," he offered, his familiar serene expression back on his face.

"No, I'll take you home on my bike," Jacob said loudly in a definitive voice, a hint of annoyance and arrogance in his voice. Politely declining both their offers (as politely as I could in my current mood, anyways) I told them I could get home just fine on my own. I could walk to the border and once I was away from these two, Alice would see me and send Edward or maybe even Rosalie to get me.

All I needed to do was free my future from these… 'Stupid Quileute-speaking werewolf jerks?' My brain suggested eagerly and I had to say, I liked how well it fit them.

I just needed to get away from these stupid Quileute-speaking werewolf jerks and I'd be on my way home.

"Alright, I guess…." I heard Jacob say quietly. He was giving up too easily which was unlike him, and that, along with the glance the two shared when they thought I wasn't looking, only tipped me off that they weren't going to let me leave on my own. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow. I'll be in the parking lot afterschool, same time, same place as usual." Nodding, I said bye, and turned to walk down the road, knowing my way around the small reservation well.

I could have sworn I was flanked on either side by two wolves soon after that disappeared from sight as I neared the border. It shouldn't have, but it made me smile. Just a little.

Stupid Quileute-speaking werewolf jerks.

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**Author's Note: I found this chapter a bit hard to write, but I managed to push myself to finish it! Not my best chapter, but I did have fun imagining all the possibilities between Jacob, Embry, and Kristine. Also, forgive me for my big bad wolf pun in the last chapter – it was 2am when I wrote it. Do you guys have anything you want to see in the next chapter? I'm open to suggestions! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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Even though I knew there was the possibility of Rosalie coming to pick me up, you could say I was surprised to find her red convertible pulled up perfectly along the border. I didn't let my surprise show, of course – wouldn't want to hurt her feelings, after all – and instead put on a smile that screamed 'I'm so glad to see you!'

"Rosie!" I squealed as I neared her open-topped car, noticing that the sun was now peeking through the clouds to reflect on her polished car. The blonde smiled her flashing grin at me and pulled off her designer sunglasses – fashionable as usual, I could see. "Kristine," she said my name fondly, folding the sunglasses and placing them on her lap. "You've stopped coming over. Esme misses you, as do I."

"Ah…" My prolonged groan of understanding was the only reaction I could give her as I opened the door to her car and sat in the leather seat. "Well, uh, the reason I haven't dropped by lately is…" A perfect arched eyebrow urged me on, long manicured nails tapping the plastic of the sunglasses impatiently. I had forgotten how awfully impatient she was for someone with literally all the time in the world. "To be blunt, Eddie's been in the company of one girl I'd rather not see any more than I absolutely need to."

There was an awkward minute of silence that I tried my best to live through. I could feel her staring at me, and it felt like Rosalie was waiting for me to meet her gaze. Ten seconds, twenty seconds, fifty seconds, two minutes…. How long had it been since either of us last made any noise?

I shut my eyes tightly, preparing myself both emotionally and mentally for what I expected to be her onslaught of disapproval, but was surprised by a warm touch – not the touch itself, of course, that was ice cold - but the gesture in general. Still somewhat prepared for Rosalie's disappointment, I peeked one eye open and stared at her, only to find her perfect facial features scrunched up in an effort to hold back laughter.

Huh? Had I done something funny?

It didn't take long for Rosalie to get her expression under control, though. She was brought up In a society where even giggling loudly was probably considered rude, and as expected of such a lady, she delicately coughed and smiled at me. Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrow at her. What had that been about? "Ah, Kristine, I always knew there was a reason I liked you. I'm only saying this because Edward isn't here to bite my neck off, but I don't like her that much, either." Nose scrunched, she seemed to rethink her words. "Or at all, really. I don't know what my brother sees in her." With a huff, I threw my body back against the soft leather seat. "That makes two of us."

Honestly, just what _did_ Edward see in that brainless selfish being named Isabella Swan?

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It was easy being with Rosalie. Not as easy as being with Jake or Eddie – which was unfair to compare to since it was as easy as breathing with those two – but it was easy enough. I didn't have to pretend to be someone I wasn't, or to feel something I didn't. Plus, I didn't have to be afraid to show my ugly side to her. She didn't judge as she listened to me continuously talk – more like word barf – all the events that had taken place since school had ended a few hours before. Her replies came after a thoughtful silence, and it was easy to tell she truly was putting her supernatural quick thinking to use before she spoke.

"Just what the hell is Jake thinking? What the hell is **Embry** thinking? What's Eddie—Screw that, just… Do guys even _**think**_!?" Not even the sound of the rushing wind could completely drown Rosalie's tinkling laughter. "I'm completely serious here, Rosie," I growled, "I'm sorry, I was just thinking the exact same thing about you. You've completely forgotten you're going to see Edward later tonight, haven't you? He wasn't too happy about how you acted this afternoon." As always, Rosalie was right. I had forgotten. All the strength in my body seemed to evaporate, and I couldn't stop my body from seemingly melting down the seat.

I was screwed.

The rest of the car ride passed quickly in silence. I was trying my best to think of a way to ease Edward of his anger and Rosalie was politely leaving me to my thoughts. Should I let him buy me that laptop I wanted? He was always miffed whenever I threw a fit at his offer to buy me whatever I wanted, and although I really didn't want to be in his debt any more than I already was, should I let it slide this time? My hands wound themselves in my hair in frustration. "Ugh, this would be so much easier if you guys actually ate!" My outburst had broken the silence and along with it, my obliviousness to my surroundings. We weren't weaving through the woods as I had expected and instead were almost near the house the Cullens had bought for me. That could only mean one thing.

Turning my head sideways towards the driver's seat, my eyes met Rosalie's and saw her small apologizing smile. If anyone else had been driving, I probably would have been scared out of my socks. But as it was, it was Rosalie at the wheel, and even when she was facing me and not the road, the car didn't swerve an inch from the absolute middle of the car lane. "She's there, isn't she?" The words, although formed in the structure of a question, did not hold any curiosity at all. Of course she was at the Cullen's. That would explain why Rosalie had come to pick me up and not Edward. I mentally hit myself at how stupid I was for thinking Edward would pass up a chance to persuade me of Bella's kindness and how unintentional Jake's pain had been and how she's an angel, blah blah blah. As if I hadn't heard that speech a million times.

The sound of rubber tires turning sharply onto gravel brought me out of my thoughts, and for the first time in the two years I had lived here, the house that usually seemed beautiful to me had a dark shadow looming overhead. But then again, that may have been a reflection of my feelings. Sluggishly, I opened the car door and made my way out. Almost like a reflex, my hand reached in the rear seat to grab my… missing backpack. "Aw crap, I left it at Jake's," I groaned quietly, slumping forward against the cold metal of the car. Today just wasn't my day. Waving Rosalie's concern and worry away, I watched as she reversed out of my driveway before trudging to the front door. Forgoing homework for a day might not kill me, but I wasn't too sure if I could say the same about dealing with an angry Edward Cullen. Digging the key out of my jean pocket, I unlocked and entered the dark house… Or the house that should be dark since I, the owner, had just returned. The hallway light was on, a lone dim bulb shining down on a pacing figure. Any other day, I would have greeted him with a smile. Any other day but today. Grimacing, I closed the door behind me before approaching him.

"What are you doing here?"

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**Author's Note:** **I am so, so, so, so sorry for the unannounced disappearance. To be honest, I completely forgot that I had this all written out and it was only when I was clearing out my folders in preparation for the fall semester that I stumbled upon this. I promise to update more frequently from now, though ! I have a lot of feels planned for this story, so please bear with me. Also, I'll love you forever and possibly give you a lifetime supply of chocolate ice cream if you leave a review. How's that for an irresistible offer?**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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He pointedly ignored my question and instead opted to lean against the wall, a long leg strategically placed in front of him which effectively blockaded the narrow hallway. So, he was forcing me to confront him by not giving me an easy way out? That wasn't exactly fair of him.

If I were to be completely honest with myself, I didn't know how to react to his being here. Was I supposed to feign innocence and pretend today had never happened? Did I stand a chance at running away? My mind probably would have continued to ramble on and come up with progressively ridiculous options, but I could feel his gaze on me and I knew it was time to talk to him. I couldn't ignore him forever, after all. He was just simply too big a part of my life for that to be possible.

"What are you even doing here?" I asked with a sigh, hoping that he'd just cut to the chase. A long stretch of silence told me that particular question would go unanswered. Time to change strategies.

"Do you have my backpack?" It was the only thing I could think of to say that sounded somewhat normal. Or at least, it would have sounded as close to normal as I could manage in that moment if my voice hadn't cracked in the most humiliating way. Thankfully, his lips didn't crack into a wide grin as I thought they would, but a part of my brain warned that there was no telling when he would recall this moment to use against me. A quick nod in the direction to my right had me turning around and just as he had indicated, my backpack sat on the dimly lit staircase. "Thanks," I muttered, still unable to meet his gaze as I made my escape towards my backpack. Maybe homework would be a good enough excuse to ignore his presence for the moment.

With my back turned to him, I pretended to dig through my backpack, supposedly looking for something whereas in reality I was just trying to delay the inevitable. I was sure he could smell the nervousness on me but he didn't note it and neither did I. The soft ticking of the clock hanging on the wall to the right of me above my head seemed to grow louder and louder as the silence deepened; the only sound I could hear was my own slightly uneven breathing. If it weren't for his obvious body heat, I wouldn't even have known he was now standing behind me.

This had gone on long enough, right? The silence was uncomfortable and I was dying to hear him say something – anything, really – and to see that big goofy grin of his. "Jake, come on, spill it. Why are you here when you have that gathering tonight?" He opened his mouth to say something, but knowing what excuse he would use, I cut him off. "Don't say you came all the way here to give me my backpack when you know my grades and I can survive not doing homework for a day or two. Come on, tell me the truth."

The sight of Jacob swaying from side to side nervously with his hands stuffed deep in his pockets made me want to laugh. He looked like a little child who had woken up to find out that he had wet his bed and had to tell his mother. But I kept my laughter in and gave him the time he needed before he was ready to speak. "Embry says he's sorry," he said quietly through pursed lips, and although his voice sounded apologetic enough, his expression was sneering as if he was relaying an insult. If I didn't know any better, I would say Jacob Black was… jealous.

Time to test that hypothesis.

"Aw, that's just like Embry to apologize the first chance he gets. He's really the sweetest out of you three wolves." An easy smile came naturally to my face – courtesy of having spent so much time faking smiles my entire life – and I sat down on a stair about halfway up the staircase. My eyes never stopped observing the tiniest of details – the way his lips twitched downward at Embry's name and how he outright frowned at the adjective that followed. Jake looked wary as he sat down a few stairs below me – still pretty much at eye level with me, I noticed with annoyance – looking as if he was entering uncharted waters. "What?" I asked, slightly offended that he was looking at me as if he was trying to decide whether or not I needed to be put into a strait jacket.

"She doesn't _smell_ like she had any alcohol, but…" Even though Jacob said this in the tiniest of voices, it didn't escape my acute hearing. I had grown used to picking up near silent sarcastic remarks from Jasper, after all. The want to talk to Jake pretty much evaporated into thin air at that remark and, grabbing my backpack, I marched up the stairs to escape into my room. I was too slow in slamming the door shut as I had wanted – it added the perfect touch of dramatics to any situation – and Jake ended up following me into my room. Throwing my backpack in the general direction of the wooden desk placed in the corner, I flopped myself onto the soft bed and shoved my face into the pillow. I wearily lifted my hand to the window, silently telling him to leave through my house's second and most convenient – for Jake and Eddie, anyways – route of exit. A few minutes passed and yet I could still hear his light breathing in the room. Turning my face to glare at him, I said in the most annoyed voice I can muster. "Go away, Jake. I don't want to talk to you."

He knew it wasn't true, and so did I, but I tried, just in case. Sometimes he let me have my way and pretended to buy it. Today just wasn't one of those days.

"Sure, sure," he said in that annoying placating voice of his. The mattress dipped to the right as he sat on the edge and, although I had just said I wanted him to leave, I shuffled farther to the left so that he could sit more comfortably. Grabbing my hand, he rubbed his thumb in circles right at the juncture of my thumb and index finger until the crease between my brows disappeared. "Hey," he said softly, a crooked smile growing on his face when I whispered "Hi" back. It was moments like these that had me confused; was he over Bella? Could our friendship possibly be growing into something more? Was he finally letting me into that special little place in his heart that had a reservation for Isabella Marie Swan? I didn't ask any of these things out loud, however. No, these questions would be dealt with later late at night when Eddie had come by and left.

Tiredly, I sat up and leaned against the wooden headboard, the pillow I just had my face in placed between me and the wood to support my back. I loved spending time with Jake, really, I did, but sometimes the emotional turmoil that almost always came with being him left me dead tired. Even though the physical distance had grown, my hand was still held in Jacob's grasp, made possible thanks to his long arms. "I came here to say sorry before I was so rudely interrupted by your drama queen alter ego." His voice was serious, and although his smile told me he was kidding, I flinched internally. I _had_ been quite the drama queen earlier. I was glad I wasn't able to slam the door in his face; that would have been embarrassing to deal with now. "Sorry," I whispered ashamed, but before either of us had the chance to say anything more, my cell vibrated from within my pocket. The only ones that ever called me were Jacob or the Cullens, and since Jake was here next to me…

"Hold on." He nodded, looking as if he was perfectly content to sit on my bed and wait for me to get off the phone even if it took me ten years. Eddie, my phone's caller id told me. I slid the 'answer' icon and raised the phone to my ear. "Hello?" I was half expecting him to chew me out right here and now – I mean, why wait another few hours when you can do it over the phone _**and **_in person? Surprisingly, his voice was rather calm, but for some reason I didn't know, very formal. "Is Jacob there? May I talk with him?" What happened to his inbred manners? Rolling my eyes, I replied in the most sarcastic voice I could manage. "Hi to you, too, Eddie. Here's Jake." He looked at me, his face a reflection of what was no doubt the expression on my face: utter shock. Edward asking for Jacob? Politely, at that? Feeling extremely suspicious and making no effort whatsoever to hide that from my expression, I handed my cell to Jake, which he held just as warily as if he were holding a bomb. "…Hello?" Jake's usually mellow voice seemed strained with tension. Why would Edward call Jake on **my phone**?

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**Author's Note**: I'm terrible, I just love cliffhangers. Thank you for the reviews, keep them coming u


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making.**

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The silent rhythm to which my foot was tapping to gradually began to speed up as the two people most important in my life shared perhaps one of the longest conversations they ever had. Of course, most of my annoyance stemmed from the fact that Jacob's end of the phone call didn't give me much to piece together. He would only agree or disagree to something, or sometimes even stop mid-sentence – no doubt Eddie was reading his mind and putting a literal stop to Jake's thoughts.

"All right," Jake seemed to say at last before disconnecting the call. Why did he look so… eager? What had happened in the past ten minutes? Before I could even ask though, the words tumbled out of Jacob's mouth as he got off my bed and began to excitedly pace around my room. "Bells wants to go to the gathering, so the bloodsucker and I had a few things to arrange. I'll have to warn the old man, make sure the real meeting takes place after she conks out, and…" He must have caught sight of my expression then, because his feet stopped moving and he stood there, frozen on the spot. The smile that had been on his face started to melt away as the moisture in my eyes grew in mass. I didn't want to cry, I really didn't, but… It had taken only seven minutes for Jacob to forget that he was here to apologize to me, to ask me to go to the gathering. It only took seven minutes for Bella Swan to make him forget me. In all honesty, a part of me was surprised it even took that long.

"Aw, Kris, don't cry," Jake pleaded, hastily taking his seat next to me once again. I hadn't even noticed that my eyes had teared up, but before he could comment on them further, I roughly wiped the offending moisture away. "They didn't fall from my eyes so that doesn't count as crying," I shot back hoarsely, the sudden rush of emotion causing my throat to tense up. Jake nodded, his voice easy going as he said "Sure, sure," but I could still see the worry in his eyes. I could see he wasn't going to let it go, and the last thing I wanted was for my little tear leakage to keep him from having a great time with the girl he loved. He deserved to be happy, after all.

Jacob was still beside me, frozen on the spot in front of my tears when I took a deep breath and put on the most natural face I could. (He and Eddie were so alike when it came to dealing with crying girls, but I don't think either would be too happy to have that little fact pointed out.) I didn't smile, knowing it would have caused him to be even more suspicious, but I didn't look completely miserable either. Just remotely… shocked. "Jake, I'll be fine. Go and have a great time with Bella. I have that American History report due next week anyways, plus I have way too many work in progress canvases in the other room." He didn't look completely convinced though, so raising my right hand, I recited in the most sarcastic voice I could, "I promise not to die of boredom while I'm alone and you're at the reservation." That seemed to persuade him and, after very roughly messing up my hair – "I hate you," I grumbled, but I don't think he heard me – Jacob rose to stretch and reach for the door. "Sure, sure, I'll see you tomorrow Kris."

Distantly, I could hear the muted 'click' of the door closing, which I knew was Jake's way of telling me he had left since he was more than capable of exiting my house in complete silence. Ignoring the slight buzz the absolute silence brought to my ears, I hugged my knees as I contemplated what had just happened. Jacob Black had ditched me to go on a date with Bella Swan, who was currently dating my Eddie, mind you, on the exact same day our friendship had almost crossed into the 'more than friends' territory. Of course by now, the news of Bella wanting to go to the gathering with Jake would have caused his brain to reset everything that happened today. Either way, I had to choose what to do now. I could write my essay and paint, all the while moving about my house moping. Or…

Outside, a very familiar honking of a car brought me out of my thoughts. I nearly threw myself out the window in my hurry to see who it was that came to my rescue. "Did someone call for a taxi?" Laughter shook me as I ran out of my room, down the staircase, and out the door. "Eddie!" I squealed as I threw myself at him. Nonchalantly catching me, he answered all my silent questions. "Alice saw you disappear, which probably would have freaked her out if this hasn't already happened about 50 times before. No, Jacob is not aware that you changed your mind. And yes, it is cold, which is why Alice made me bring a jacket for you because she knew you wouldn't think to bring one. It's in the backseat." He opened the passenger seat door for me – ever the gentleman – and as I sat down and reached for the seat belt, I sniffed indignantly. "It's not _**that **_cold." He didn't reply but we both knew I would take the jacket nonetheless.

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**Author's Note: Haha, I went and did it again, didn't I? I ended up taking two whole months to update this when I had only planned to take two weeks! But in my defense, it was a huge holiday over here and I'm down with the cold. Not that convincing, I know, but I'll try to make up for it with more updates before midterms come around. Also, I've been getting some reviews from people stating that they don't want to read my story because it's a Bella hate story, but I'd like to state that it isn't. Yes, I've bashed Bella a bit in the previous chapters but those are from Kris' point of view, not mine. I'm planning on portraying Bella in a much more humane way in future chapters, so please keep your eye out for that! Once again, review and I shall love you forever and quite possibly be willing to give you fudge brownies. Mm, brownies.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making. **

The confidence that I had been oozing from my very pores just a few minutes earlier seemed to disappear as the car eased to a stop at the border. The car ride to the border itself had been much more pleasant and civilized than I had expected, the twenty or so minutes spent chattering to the soft sound of Debussy playing in the background. I wasn't naive enough to think that this meant Eddie was letting me off the hook. In fact, this was probably just him being considerate of my current fragile mental state, no doubt having been filled in on all the events that took place today from my uncontrollable thoughts. As touched as I was that he had temporarily put aside his anger and pride for my own sake, the fact that I would never be able to hide anything from him miffed me. Even more so when I remembered how embarrassing and personal some of today's moments were.

"I'm sorry if you feel that I've trespassed your privacy," Edward's voice broke through the silence, and even without looking at him, I could imagine the way his brows would be furrowed, sincerity ringing with every syllable. "I promise it was not done intentionally."

Sighing, I turned to face him, a 'oh well, what can you do?' kind of expression on my face. I knew that it wasn't done intentionally, but being completely aware of his innocence only seemed to make things more embarrassing. "You're lucky I like you, Cullen," I said gruffly, faking a tough voice despite the wide grin on my face, a grin that he easily mirrored.

Zipping up the jacket that I had long ago worn – being in a small closed space with a vampire was bound to make anyone cold – I took a deep breath before slowly exhaling. I could do this. There was no way I could stay home, moping around and making vent art because of some stupid werewolf, now could I?

Chuckling, Edward voiced his approval. "All that energy wasted on a 'stupid werewolf'? Of course not. Now, Carlisle and Esme want you home by ten, eleven at the latest but only if you call first. Make sure to call if—" I cut him off mid-sentence, or rather my loud fit of laughter did.

"Oh, shut up, Eddie," I gasped out, holding my stomach with one hand and wiping away a tear with the other. "Carlisle and Esme stopped making me do that _years_ ago. I'm a big girl now." It felt funny, saying that to someone who was born in a completely different century from me, but it was the truth. I knew how to take care of myself just fine. I always had. Inhaling one last time, I squared my shoulders and opened the car door. It was too late to turn back, so I might as well have some fun.

"Kristine!" I heard a chorus of greetings as I entered the Black's yard, and I busily waved hello to whoever I could meet eyes with. As expected, Sue rushed forward in no time with a plateful of spaghetti, handing it to me before leading me to an empty spot on the grass next to Seth. I hadn't realized how hungry I was, but now that I had food in my lap, I began to eat as quickly as I could without actually stuffing my face.

Once I felt full, I turned to say hello to Seth, and Leah on the other side of Sue. Seth was happy enough to see me, excitedly beginning to talk about how he didn't know I was coming because no one had told him, and asking how I was doing. In between his questions, I timidly said hi to Leah, an encouraging smile on my face, but that didn't seem to change her cold reaction. I didn't mind that much, not really; it just took some people longer to come around.

"Oh yeah, you gotta go see the others! I bet they're gonna be so surprised when they see you." Seth's sudden suggestion had me laughing nervously. I wasn't quite yet ready to see the rest of the gang, especially when I still hadn't figured out what had happened earlier with two of them, but I knew everyone would be suspicious if I said no.

"Alright," I said, standing up and throwing away the styrofoam plate and plastic fork in the trash bin prepared a few feet away. "Let's see how high werewolves jump when they're surprised."

"Jacob, your _girlfriend_ is here!" Seth announced as we neared the garage, his bellowing voice dragging out the syllables in 'girlfriend'. Rolling my eyes, I joined in on his laughter, knowing he was only joking. I found it odd that we were the only two laughing, though – usually Quil and Embry would join in on these kinds of jokes as well, but it was suddenly dead silent in the garage. I understood why as soon as I entered, my feet freezing on the spot as I locked gazes with the only other girl in the room.

In my excitement to come to the gathering, I had completely forgotten why I had wanted to stay home in the first place. The hurt I had felt at Jacob's quickness to prioritize Bella pricked my chest again, unrelenting, but I refused to cry in front of this specific audience. Besides, thanks to Seth's joke, I could use this situation to my advantage.

As I made my way towards her, I felt a hot hand grab onto my wrist tightly, pulling me back. I quickly turned my head, eyes wide in surprise at the sudden contact. Before I could speak, Embry shook his head, gesturing to Jacob with his chin. "Joke's over, Kris. Bella knows you two aren't dating."

I didn't understand – did Embry think that was an explanation? It only made me even more confused. Jake would never rat me out like that, not without discussing it with me first, even if it meant he had to continue lying to the girl he loved. I trusted him. I knew at least that much about him.

But then, who…? Who had revealed the one thing I held over Bella Swan's head to be fake?

Embry's grip on my wrist tightened, to the point of almost hurting when I tried to break free and continue walking towards Jake. His expression was an odd combination of his usual sereneness along with a burning seriousness in his eyes.

"I told her."

Author's Note: I am so, so, so, so sorry for the unannounced disappearance. To be honest, I completely forgot that I had this all written out and it was only when I was clearing out my folders in preparation for the fall semester that I stumbled upon this. I promise to update more frequently from now, though ! I have a lot of feels planned for this story, so please bear with me. Also, I'll love you forever and possibly give you a lifetime supply of chocolate ice cream if you leave a review. How's that for an irresistible offer?


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Kristine Fay belong to Stephanie Meyer. Kristine Fay is of my own making. **

"Well, what the hell did you do that for, Embry?" My voice shook a bit, and my shoulders were tense as I started laughing, but I think I pulled it off as casually as I could. Seth – ever the quick one – laughed along with me, and Quil soon joined in as well. Embry stood there, mouth agape and confused, and taking advantage of his surprise, I pulled my wrist free.

The sound of laughter filled the garage, but I realized only mine sounded forced. Maybe it was a mistake coming here, after all. I wondered if Eddie would mind coming to pick me up again, or if Alice had foreseen even this and he was still waiting by the border. Either way, I just wanted to get out of here. I felt like I was suffocating. Which was weird because usually, hanging out on the reservation was as easy as breathing.

The feeling of cold metal pressed against my cheek wrenched me from my thoughts and made me jump. Looking up, I could see Jake looking down, worry evident on his face.

"You looked like you were going to faint," he explained, pressing the cold can of iced tea to my other cheek.

Without much thought, I took the can from him, holding it close to my cheek on my own. Peering around him, I could see Bella deep in conversation with Seth, a small smile on her face as she talked with the younger boy. Huh. So she knew how to smile after all. I hated to admit it, but she looked pretty when she smiled. More human and less zombie-like.

"Where'd the tea come from?" I asked quietly, finding a relatively clean spot on the floor to sit on. He sat down with me, a small smirk growing on his face at the question.

"Emily brought a dozen with her. She knows how much you love these." He shook his head like he didn't understand, which he probably didn't. He had lived on the reservation all his life, had drunk this tea all his life. He didn't know how crappy the things they sold at the supermarket tasted.

"That was nice of her," I said to the can in my hands, running a thumb over the curve of the metal to idly gather moisture. "But that doesn't explain how you had it ready. You didn't even know I was coming."

His lack of response made me curious, and raising my head to look at him, I found myself smiling at how he scratched his cheek embarrassingly, avoiding my gaze.

"….I hoped you'd come…" Jacob said at last, his voice barely reaching my ears. I could feel my face flush at his words, but I wasn't sure if it was out of embarrassment or anger. Maybe both.

Opening the can with more force than necessary, I glared at him, muttering "You're unfair, Jacob Black," before taking a long sip of the cold beverage. Even the coolness of the drink didn't lower the heat I felt in my cheeks. I knew that he didn't mean anything special by it – after all, it was within normal friendship boundaries to wish something like that, right…? Suddenly, I wasn't too sure.

He acted like he didn't hear me, even though I knew for sure he did, and for that, I was thankful. I would no doubt regret having said that later tonight when I lay awake in my bed. Quickly, I searched my brain for a new topic to talk about – anything that would make this uncomfortable silence disappear.

He piqued his head up in curiosity as I began talking. "So… What's up with Embry these days? He's been acting weird lately." I immediately regretted bringing him up because Jacob's face scrunched up, as if he had tasted something rotten. Oops.

Facing the ceiling, he let out a loud sigh, a deep scowl on his face when he looked at me again. Okay, now I knew for sure. I had chosen the wrong topic. I shot him a weak smile, hoping that it would get him to stop glaring at him, but when it only made his scowl even deeper, I huffed out loudly.

"Well excuse meeee for not knowing he was now a taboo subject! Sheesh, you could have just said it was a pack thing instead of looking at me like I just blew up your favorite car." Angrily, I chugged the rest of the contents of the can before slamming it down on ground, and was about to stand up to flatten it under my foot – a bad habit I had picked up from Emmett ages ago – when I noticed someone sitting down next to me.

Embry smiled his easygoing grin, arms hooked around his bent knees as he looked up at me, looking as if he belonged there. "Oh come on, Kris, I haven't been **that** weird lately, have I?" Hearing Embry calling me by Jake's nickname for me gave me goosebumps – not that weird, my butt!

Before my brain could recover from the shock and come up with a response, Jacob ground out in a low voice, "Don't call her Kris." That surprised me even more. Of course I treasured that nickname and felt giddy every time Jake called me by it, but I never would have thought that he would be so touchy over someone else addressing me by it.

"It's just a nickname, Jake. No need to get so territorial over it." Embry let out a chuckle, and if I didn't see the way the two were staring each other down, I would have sworn this was just a playful conversation between two friends. As it was, this was anything but friendly.

Noticing that Jake was beginning to stand up, I jumped out of my seat, beating him to the punch. Shaking my head, I tugged on the hem of his shirt to get him to sit down again. Having a fight break out between two werewolves in this tiny garage – where my car was! – was the last thing any of us needed.

"Jake, calm down. Be rational about this. Bella is here. Don't do something stupid in front of the girl you love."

Author's Note: I was so happy to wake up to so many reviews, I just had to start writing the next chapter! I never knew reviews could motivate me so much~ I don't think I'm going to update for a week or so, though. It's been so long since I've read the books, I need to refresh my memory so I'm going to devote my time to rereading the books and plotting out what'll happen in future chapters!


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